05 June 2016

Blogging With a Full Time Job

Blogging has always been a part-time hobby for me and I have always had a full time job ever since I started my little space on the internet. It is definitely time to admit how much of a challenge it is to actually find time to blog, whilst also holding down a full time job. In an ideal scenario I'd love to have a part-time career and also blog part-time, perhaps the future will allow this but for now I have to make do. I absolutely love blogging and if I could do it every day I really would, I find those bloggers who post daily so inspirational and motivating. Lately I have found it a struggle to fit blogging in and so I have come up with a few simple solutions that may help you if you're like me.

When inspiration hits, use it. Whether you are brushing your teeth in the morning or on the tube on the way to work, if you have a spot of inspiration make sure you use it and don't lose it! I find my best blog ideas come at the most awkward times which is why I always have the Blogger app handy on my iPhone so I can quickly draft a post or even write the full post if there is time.

Have a routine. Something I am still getting used to but surprisingly really enjoying is having a more structured approach to my blog and my content. I am very much the type of person that says 'I'll do it later' far too frequently and that is where I become standstill with my blog. I have started dedicating one evening a week to writing posts, thinking of ideas and taking photographs, as well as my weekend time. For me, this means I know exactly when I will have that me time and it is special time that I can dedicate to my space on the web. I try to write a couple of posts over the evening so that they can be scheduled and ready to go live over the next week.

Schedule things. This is similar to the previous point but allow yourself to find the perfect time to publish your posts. I used to write a post and just publish it whenever I wanted which didn't really work and I found my posts became lost and were never seen. I like to schedule my posts for early on the weekend or at the time of the Twitter #bbloggers and #lbloggers chats so that I can use this as a promoting technique. I very rarely write a post and publish it straight away these days, I always plan ahead and schedule them as well as scheduling my social media to go alongside it.

Take a break. Remember that it is perfectly normal and okay to take a break sometimes, don't put pressure on yourself or be too hard on your work as it won't make things any better. Your readers will not mind if you post three times a week this week and only once next week, remember that its all about balance.

Only accept what you can accomplish. I have been very lucky lately in that I have received several lovely emails from companies asking if I would like to try a product. This is amazing and I absolutely love working with brands but lately I have realised that you just have to say no to some companies. I have accepted collaborations in the past and simply not had the time to produce a post or review within the timeframe given which in essence gives your blog a bad impression. In future I will be accepting collaborations that I know I can achieve and saying no to anything that isn't achievable.

Do you have any tips for fitting in blogging whilst having a full time job? I'd love to hear your thoughts.